Pain physician
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transforaminal Versus Interlaminar Approach of Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy Under Local Anesthesia for L5/S1 Disc Herniation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Local anesthesia is feasible for both transforaminal and interlaminar approaches in percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD). However, the optimal approach for PELD has not yet been established at the L5/S1 segment under local anesthesia with 1% lidocaine. ⋯ Both TELD and IELD can provide good clinical outcomes for L5/S1 DH under local anesthesia with 1% lidocaine. TELD was superior to IELD in terms of surgical-related experience and complications.
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In patients with interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), 85% were found to have pelvic floor myofascial pain (PFMP) and hypertonicity (PFH). However, they physicians are not typically trained to consider or assess PFMP as a contributing factor to patients' IC/BPS symptoms. ⋯ PFMP might affect the subjective results of IC/BPS treatment but not the bladder condition. Therefore, in the future treatment of patients with IC/BPS, digital vaginal examinations of pelvic floor muscles should be performed and focused more on the PFM-related conditions, and necessary PFM treatments, such as the vaginal pelvic floor muscle message, should be scheduled.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have a lowered immune response to infection, potentially due to the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs. Predictors of severe COVID-19 outcomes within the RA population have not yet been explored in a real-world setting. ⋯ Predictive baseline comorbidities and risk factors can be leveraged for early detection of RA patients at risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Further research should be conducted on modifiable factors in the RA population, such as physical therapy.
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Neuroimaging investigations have already uncovered alterations to cerebral microstructural integrity in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). In the meantime, these patients commonly suffer from depression and anxiety. ⋯ Our results demonstrate that disrupted white matter microstructure in patients with FM is mainly restricted to tracts associated with pain sensory processing and motor control, adjusting for psychosocial factors. A considerable degree of difference in white matter characteristics may be explained by the patients with FM group's greater level of psychological distress.
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Primary palm hyperhidrosis (PPH) is a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled palm-sweating exceeding physiological needs. It negatively impacts the quality of life of the patients and can lead to different degrees of psychological problems. Currently, there are a variety of treatment options for PPH, of which thoracotomy is a first-line treatment that has shown good efficacy. However, since it is an invasive procedure requiring general anesthesia and is often associated with high costs and serious complications, better alternatives should be explored. Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous puncture of radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF-TC) of the thoracic sympathetic nerve is a promising alternative treatment. It is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia and is associated with rapid recovery. However, the factors affecting the duration of the surgery-related benefits and outcomes of CT-guided percutaneous RF-TC of the thoracic sympathetic nerve are unclear. ⋯ Palm temperature difference and perfusion index difference were independent risk factors associated with prolonging the surgical benefits and reducing postoperative recurrence of CT-guided RF-TC of the sympathetic nerves in patients with PPH.